Teacher Discussion Forums

Thanks very much for your comments. everyone. In the course of presenting this situation in various places, I have been introduced to the neologism "oracy", obviously a parallel formation with "literacy". While admitting the possible usefulness of the term, the little etymologist in my head screams ...

This came up in our textbook tonight. A passage included "bookstore" (compound noun) and "shoe store" (adjectival + noun). Of course, I have a student who wants to know what's up with that. (My answer: I don't know. Let me get back to you on that.) One rule seems to be that one can't make a compound...

Interesting. In American, pumps are ladies' dress shoes with a closed toe and a bit of a heel. Fifty years or so ago, pumps were ballroom dancing shoes for either sex.

How is it that written instructions are not treated the same way spoken instructions are? Exactly. I have some up with two possible explanations of this phenomenon. 1. Possibly it is a function of being trained in a primarily oral culture. As such, the first (and possibly only) discourse avenue of ...

Okay, you lovely, insightful linguists, I have noticed a problem in my classes over the past year that I think is a discourse or semiotics problem. I would appreciate any insights you might have. The students I'm concerned about are all east African (Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, both male and female)...

I have been observing a lot of "content classes" lately and analyzing how the needs of NNS students are addressed and have one thing to say about Power Point and NNS. Put your key points in the slides (it's Power point, yes?) and nothing else. If the slides are too busy and contain a lot of extraneo...

"Forced to attend"? You have got troubles if that's true, my friend. All the basic theories of adult education would predict that adults forced to attend a class would have practically non-existent motivation and would be resistant to any attempt to infuse same. Why or by whom are they required to t...

Hi everyone, I may be teaching an English course (ESOL) at adult school this summer hopefully leading eventually to a permanent position. I've been teaching since 1989 but mostly elementary and high school. I've taught ESL to adults but never more than an hour at a time. I don't know how to teach 3...

Proud alumna of Seattle University here. Class of '98.

How on earth would I know which ones the scholarship officers would accept?

Beats me.

Hello, all. I have been asked to develop an ESP course for the NNES students (possibly for first generation students as well) in the nursing pre-reqs at our college. I don't particularly want to re-invent any wheels, so I'm trying to find out if the wheel exists yet. Does anyone have textbook recomm...